Breakdown firearm



No Model.)

0. E. WHILDBN. BREAKDOWN FIREARM.

WNW!

INVENTOH BYMWM v46 A TTOENEYS.

5 Sheets-Sheet 1 Patented A r. 13, 1897.

(No Modl.) 5 Sbeets-Sheet 2.

0.3. WHILDEN. BREAKDOWN FIREARM.

Patented Apru 13, 1897.

INVENTOI? A TTOHNEYS.

3 t e e h s h e e .n s 5 Mm "UP HN WW m E A E OR B a d 0 M 0 m Patented Apr. 13

lNVE/VTOH MAUI M4, V46 ATTORNEYS.

wmvissss;

4 a e h s m e e h S 5 E E D L IN H WW E E OR B (No Model.)

Patented Apr. 13

INVENTOH ATTORNEYS.

fill/ZNESSES:

(N0 Model.) I I v 5Sheets-Sheet5 O. E. WHILDEN.

BREAKDOWN FIREARM.

No. 580,538. u 13, 1897.

R Q U I. R N w s R a i m i I R i I I l i g x I"; E F

I i W/TNESSES: I Q INVENTOH 24 4.. m

1 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE;

CHARLES E. WHILDEN, or CHARLESTON, SOUTH CAROLINA.

BREAKDOWN FIREAR SPEGjIFIGATIQN forniing'partof Letters Patent No. 580,538, dated-April 1:3,1897.

Applioatieniiled Hugh-.2; .895.

ofi Charleston, in the county fof Charleston and Sta-telof South Carolina, have invented a new 'and useful Improvement in Firearms, of whieh'the following is a full, clear-,andexact description.

My invention relates to an improvement inffirearms, andmore particularlyto that class of 4 firearms known as three barrel.

guns, usually provided with two shot-barrelsv and a rifle-barrel be'lowand between them.

Theobjects'of iny invention are to provide 'are novahle rifle-barrel capable of beingv placed in .the sameposition as the rifle-barrel of the ordinary'three-barrel gun coinci-. dent-with the line of sight, and so place the rifle-barrel in connectionjwith the shot-barrels that itean be attached -firmly to a suitable support and in' a-siinple and expeditious manner, and whereby when desired the riflebarrel may be quickly removed,.as, forexp furthir vide acoc amplei, 'when it is not neededand when it is 'desirahleto lighten the gun, the removal of the said barrel permitting theuse-ofmany dif{ ferent oalibers' of rifle-barrel with the same StOCkL object of the invention is topr'ogun, and to" provide for an. entirely. novel form of trigger, the triggers being soconstructed'th at but two are required 'forfiring thethree barrels; and another object of the invention is to so construct the triggersthat' they may be looked either in position to fire the rifle-barrel or fire one of. the shotgun-barrels, it being impossible, when the trigger is fixed or-adj usted, to fire other than the bar rel intended.

Theinvention consists in thenovel construction and combination; of, the several parts, as will be hereinafter" fullysetforth, and pointed out'in the claims.

Ref erenceis tobe-hadto the accompanying drawings, fori-ning ap'art of this specification,

in which-similar figures'end letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in' all the views.

ing and firing mechanism for the rifle-hammer, located within thebody of. the

Serial No. 640,302. (No model.)

i being in open position, or' 'in. a positionto .Be it known that I, CHARLES E. WHILDEN,

be loaded, said Fig-,1 likewise showing-the rigli-t-hand'trigger in position for firing the rifle-barrel, being locked. With'respectto the right-hand shot-barrel, Fig. 2 is a viewsimi lar to Fig. 1-, illustrating .the barrels closed or in firing position and-the trigger locked with respect toth'e firin g device of the rifle? barrel and in position for operating 'the ham iner of the right-hand shot-barrel. 'Fig. 3is a perspective view of the hammer of the rifle-- barrel and thesinainsp'ring connected there- With. Fig. 4 is a perspectiveviewofthe im proved trigger, illustrating its connection either-with the hammer of the rifle or that of the right-hand shot-barrel of the gun. Fig. 5 is a viewsimilar to,F-ig'. 4,illustrating a slight modification in the construction of the trigger.. Fig. 6 is aview o'f-a portion of the gun, illustrating the application thereto of -the-modified form oftrigger shown in Fig. '5,

the trigger being in a position to fire the rifle- .barrel; Fig.7 is a view similarto Fig.,6,'thetrigger being in position for firing therighthand shot-barrel. Fig. ,8 is asideelevation of aportion of a. gun, illustrating'a slight lnodiiication'in the lock orshiftin'g mecham isin. Fig. 9 is a "side-elevation of the barrels .of the gun detached from the stock, il lus'-' trating-both therifle and-the shot barrels connected, '2. portion of the forward-end of the shot-barrels beingin section. 1 Fig. 10. is

a' rear elevation of the-barrels shown in'Fig 9. -'Fig.-11 is a section taken substantially" on the line 11,11 of'Fig 9.: Fig-12is-a front elevation of the barrels." Fig. 13 is aside elevation of the shot-barrels, the rifle-barrel being detached therefrom. Fig. 14; is a side elevation of the detached rifle-barrel; and- Figs. 15 and 16 ,are' detail views of the trigger, illustra'tin a lock-latch applied thereto.

In carryingout the-invention a block- 10 is erected upon the trigger-plate '1l,"and upon tliisplate the sear 12," operating inconnec- "tion with thc' rifle-haninier- 13-, is fulcrumed,

the said sear, assho'wn in -Figpe, being provided witha fodt-section-lZ? out of'the plane of itsJhead. The head of the sear .12' is heldby'means of a spring 14 in engagement with a notch 14, produced in the back of the rifle-h'a'mmer'lS, the said back being preferably of a segmental shape.- whereby the said back of the hammer may be termed its tumbler-section? p The rifle-hammer 13 is pivoted at or near its bottom upon a pivobpin- 15, =andthe said hammer is located entirely within the lock- .section of the gun, being-inside the center of action, and it is fitted upon oppositesides of the lower portion of its: forward face with preferably alining-lugs or abutments 16 and v with an arm 17, pivoted to'the hammer, and upon the said arm linthe rear end of a main spring-.18 has bearing or is attached, while the head portion 18" of the said spring is bifurcated and engages with the lugs 16 on the said hammer, as. shown best -in Fig. 3. The

. head 18* of the spring; is thicker than the direction to throw the hammer 13 trigger in a predetermined position.

remaining portion thereof,-fo rming a shoulder 18 r The action of the springls, when relieved from downward pressure or tension, is in a position or position ready to fire.

The lefthand or rear trigger A may be ofv the ordinary construction, but the righthand triggerB is of an improvedand peculiar construction, as shown in Figs. 1, 2, 4, and 5,

This improved trigger consists of a plate or the body of the trigger, while at the top ofits'forward portion it is provided with a lip 23, which extends over the upperedge of the body-section beyond its forward edge and is adapted for engagement Wit-h the heel 12 of the rifle-sear 12, while immediately below this lip 23' alongitudinal slot 24 is made in the said slide ortrip, receiving a pin 25, which serves to pivot the trigger in position within the frame, while the lower forward end of thesaidslide or trip is providedwith a'thumbpiece 26, which may be'made in the nature of a button or otherwise formed.

' The lip 23 of the trigger, when the slidesection 22 is carried forward, will extend over the heel of the rifleesear, while the rear end of the saidslide will be removed out of possible contact with the sear 27, controlling the hammer 28 of the right-hand shot-barrel of the gun, and wnen'the slide is pushed rearwardfit willbe out of possible engagement with the rifle-sear and be brought in en gage.- ment with the sear27", of the shotgun-barrel operating on that sear only. Thus it will be locked in this position relative to the ridesear. v N

If the trigger. is in the position shown in Figs. 1 and 4, it will be carried out of possito acocked' ble engagement with the shot-barrel s'ear27, and when drawn backward, its lip 23 will be depressed, drawing "the sear 12 of .the riflebarrel away from engagement with the said I hammer of said barr'ehpermitting the'sprin'g I to a'c't to carry the hammer to its firing'position, and the trigger will be removed from en- I gagementwith the shotgun-sear thus locking the shotgun-hammer safe.- When therigh-thand barrel of the shotgun is to be'used, the

slide-section 22 of the trigger is carried rear- Ward, as shown in Fig. 2, the lip 23 being out of possible engagement with the rifle sear,

whereupon by manipulating the trigger B its fied form of triggerB', in which the lip23 is v dispensed with, and in the body-plate 19 of the trigger a notch 29 is produced in its up;- per edge near theback, and the slide ispro vided with a. like notch or recess 30, this notch being best shown in Fig; 6, capableof registering with the'recess 29 in the bodyplate of the trigger. The forward lower end of the slide is made to terminate, as in the other case, in a knob or button 31, and the said slide is guided on thebody of the trigger by causing the pivot-pin 32 of the trigger properto pass thro-ugh'a slot 33 in the plate and the rear end-of the slide to moi e in a guideway at the rear of the body of the trigger. The form of the sear for the rifle under this construction of trigger slightlyditi'ers from that shown in connection with'the form illustrated in Figsvl and 2. The rifle-sear 33 is in this case provided with a foot or extension 34, located some distance at the rear of its pivot, being so placed thatthe said foot is capable of entering the recess 20 in the said body-plate of the trigger. A spring35 is-made to control the sear 33, as shown in Figs. 6 and 7,. adapted :to'normally hold the said sear in engagement with the notch or shoulder 36,,"produced inthe back of the rifiehammer and nearer the bottom than the notch or recess 14*, heretofore referred to. this 'modifie'dform' of trigger the slide 22 is capable of 'being'carriedto the .rear of the body of the trigger in the same manner as the slide shown in Figs. 4 and 7, and when carried to this position if the trigger is manipulated the sear 27 -for"the shot-barrel will benianipulated and the slot or recess 30 in the slide. will be brought intoregistry with the slot or recess 29 in the body of the trigger. Th-nswhen'the rear end of the trigger is raised to operatef'the sear 27 the heel 34 of the rifle-sear 33 will enter the said slots and the said rifle-sear will not be acted upon or aifected by the trigger. -If, on the contrary,

as shown in Fig. 6,the slide is carried in direction ofthe forward end of the firearm, the two recesses 01' slots 29 and 30 will be carried out of registry, and when the rear end of thetrigger is elevated it will strike the foot,

Under under side-of the shotgun-barrels at their from the side.

340i the rifle-sear. ea-and disconnect" said sear from engagement-with its hammer,'per-.

-p.roved mannei as, for. instance'yas shown in Figs. 15 and 16, in which.a' spring-catch d is secured at one-end iipon the inner face ofthe bOdy U ofthe triggerB. This catchmay belocatedeither on top', b0tto1n, or the niiddle of the grooved'portion of, 'the'trig'ger, and is adapted to snap into two or inore notches rrecessesd in the slide-section 22. of the trig"- ger, or the spring-catch maybe placed upon' the slide and the notches or recesses be made in; the body' of the-trigger, o'rthe: slide may be held in position by a spring-catch attached to the trigger plate or blockfsnap'ping into notches in-theslide. In any event thenotch'es will be placed apart a distance corresponding;

"to-the distance the slide't'ravels from its forward to its backward position.

slide ofthe-tri'gger from underneath the gun orat the trigger-plate it may-be operated is made in the side plate of the lockrsection to re'ceiveabutton 38, said bu'tto11 beingpro- 'vided'witha, shank which extendsihrough tionthe said button nay be placed.

'lhus-itrwi-ll beobse'rved that 'thro-ugh the be readilymanipulated, one trigger serving for-firing one of the shotgun-barrels and the rifle-barrel, and the said trigger performing this dual function may be locked out of pea sible'contactsvith thesear of the-hammer it is ihten ded the, trigger shall avoid.

The barrel-section of thegun comprises three combined .barrels namely, two shot -gun-barrels Gand C of the o.r(-linaryconstruction and a rifle-barrel D, located beneath the shotg'nn barrelscoincidcnt with their line of sight The rifle-barrel D is detachably mounted in the sleeve E, the said sleeve beingfatt-achedfto or formed: integralwith the breech, and the said sleevelseiives as a support for the hinge-lug 5:0; The rifle-barrel I) is slid through thesleeve E froni the breech end, and said barrel islikewise niade to pass through a't-him'ble ii], secured any ap, proyedmanner to the bottom portions otthe shot-barrels, which thimble is covered by thefore-stock when the-barrels are in positi'o thereon.

or its equivalent is located, through which 100p the .bolt is -adapted to pass to hold the 'fore-endito the barrels. The loop *2, instead of being 'shape'd'as in the drawings, may be shaped: so as'to catch and retain a spring- Iir-th-islatter event a slot-'37 medium of the two triggersthi'ee barrels may in any of, their different styles- II do hotclairn asa portion iofimyinventi'on the shape of the vfore-end catch, ;but the attachmentof the'fore-endcatch to the bottom of the thimble'insteadof directly'to the-bottom of the barrel.

Within about one-quarter offa'n inch-from themuzzle of theupper half-of the rifle-bars.

rel a projection 43 is-made, preferably of a dovetail character,v the said projection being fitted from the rear, into-a correspondinglyclip, r what is Known. as; patent "--forc ends shaped recess 44, made longitudinally'in the center of the metal betweenthe shot-barrels; When tl emuzzleof the rifle provided with the projection43 is srnall enough to pass through-the sleeve E and .thi-mble 41,-the pro .jec'tion will beattached fin'nily to the muzzle of "the rifle-barrel; but when this portion. of

the barrel is too large to permit of such manip ulatio'n the;projectio n is attached to a sleeve 45 and the forward end of the rifle-barrel will VAsshownin' Fig.8, insteadof operating the be made toenter the said sleeve and .fitsnugly thereto. (This sleeve is separate' from both rifle and shot barrels, so astoleave noun sightlyprojections on the s'hot-barrels-When proved manner, as, fo'reX-ample,iby means of projections on the in'nenhpper, and fore'part of the breech-frame, just'a'bove the hinge-pi n;

ri'[le-barrelj -position in the'main sleeve, th said'set-screw being made to enter a depression in the barren In this manner the rifle-- barrel is prevented from slipping back. 'A lug eflis formed on the bottom of th'e'r'ific-" barrel at the breech, which keeps it from twisting around in the sleeve and also'acts to compress the lnainspr ing of the TiIie-barrel.

gage' with the top of the mainlsp'ring both for-'- ward and rearwardof its should-er 18". flhns it will bcobserved that. the tension 'oft'hisspring, is exerted constantly in ad'ownwardly and rearward] y direction on the rifle-hammer at this time, and-as soon as the latter is disi 1,20 forced into the breech of the rifle-barrel by -,said ,spring, and [when the'barrcls are broken or carried tic-loading position, as showrrin Fig. 1, the head of the spring, bearing against the abutments 16 on the rifle-l1annner,'will force the sai'dimmmer back to its cocked pov On the bottom of the thinible 41 a loop 42 engaged from its scar .the hammcr will be sition by engagement with its sear.

The upper part of the rifle-sleeve E, withthe hinge-lug 40' attached, can be either dovetailed or brazed to the bottom ofthc shot-barrels in the same manner as the lumps or lugs are attached in anorglinary doublegun, or

of the hammer'and throw itintococked posi-.

the sleeve may consist of the sleeve proper, provided with a reinforce section E, as shown in Figs. 9 and 10, extending. up above and completely around the breech of the gunbarrels,'forming a-guard around them much thicker at the bottom than at the top,- which lower portion can be bored out". to propershape to receive the rifle-barrel and extractor after attachment to the breech of the shot barrels,- and this attachment may be made by insaid socket, and a locking connection be tween the rifie-barrel and the bottom portion of the shot-barrels near their forward ends, as and for the purpose specified.

2. In the construction of firearms, the combination with double shot-barrels provided with a socket at their breech end and with a longitudinal dovetail recess at their muzzle end, of a rifle-barrel fitting in the said socket and provided with a dovetail projection fitting in the said recess, substantially as desc'ribed. v v

3. In the construction of firearms, the combination with shot-barrels, of a removable rifle-barrel on the underside of the shot-bar rels and provided with a depending 'l'ug, and a rifle-lock and forked double-armed main spring with which the said lugengages to compress the same, substantially as described.

at. In the construction of firearms, the combination with shot-barrels, of a rifle-barrel detaehably secured to' the under side of the shot-barrels and provided with a depending shouldered lug and a ride-lock and a doublearmed mainspring having a shou1der near the end of one of its members, and with which member the lug of the rifle-barrel engages to compress the said spring, substantially as described. r

5. In a firearm, the combination of a hammer located in the center of action and provided with abutments on opposite faces, and a mainsprin g having its lower member pivotally connected with the hammer and its upper member forked, the members of which project on opposite sides of the hammer below the abutments thereof, whereby when the spring is relieved of pressure the forked member of the spring will engage the abutments tion, substantially as described.

6. In a three-barrel firearm, the combination with the shot-barrels, a rifle-barrel, and the sear of one of the shot-barrels, of a ham- 1ner arranged in the center of action and adapted to fire the rifle-barrel, a spring controlling the said hammer, a sear engaging the hammer, and a trigger formed of a bodysection and a tripping-section sliding on one side of the-body-sect-ion so as to project beyond the rear end of the'same and extend into the path of one of the sears when moved rear- .wardly, the said tripping-section extending into the path of the other sear'when moved forwardly, substantially as described.

7. 'In a three-barrel firearm, the combination with the shot-barrels,a-rifie-barrel, and the sear of one of the shot-barrels, ofa hammer arranged in the center of action and adaptedto fire the rifle-barrel, a scar engag ing the hammer, and a trigger, consisting of a body-section having a longitudinal channel in one side, and a tripping-section sliding in the channel of the body-section so as to project beyond the rear end of the same and extend into the path of one of the sears when moved rearwardly, the said tripping-section being provided with a thumb-piece for ma; nip'ulating it and extending into the path of the other sear when moved forwardly, substantially as described. v

8. In a firearm, a trigger,comprising a body-v section, and a tripping-section sliding on one side of the body-section so that its rear end 9. In a firearm, a trigger, consisting of a body-section having a longitudinally extending'channel in one side and provided with laterally-projeeting pivot-pins, and a trippingsection fitting in the channel of the body-sec tion and provided with a longitudinal slotto receive one-ofthe pivot-pins of the body-seetion, and at its forward end with a'thumbpiece projecting below thesaid body-section, said tripping-section extending into the path of one sear when moved forwardly and. having its rear end projecting beyond the rear end of the body-section for'engagement with. the other sear when moved rearwardly, sub-' stantially as herein shown and described,

' 10. In a three-barrel gun, a trigger com prising a body-section having a finger-piece and provided with a channel in'one side, and a slide or tripping section fitted to slid'ein the channel of the body-section and provided gzc the channel and provided at its forward end with a lip projecting over the upper edge of the .body'and with a slot to receive one of the pins of the body, and means for locking the parts together, substantially as described.

12. In a three-barrel gun, the combination with the snot-barrels, a rifle-barrel on the under side of the shot-barrels, and the sear of one of the shot-barrels, of a hammer anranged within the center of action and adaptwith a lip at itsforward end adapted to engage the rifle-lock; sear, 'the rear end of the said sliding section being adapted to engage the shotgun-lock sear, substantially as described.

13. In a three-barrel gun, the combination With the shot barrels, and a rifle-barrel on the under side of the shot-barrels. of a hammer arranged in the center-of. aetionand adapted to fire the rifle-barrel, a spring controlling the hammer, a sear engaging the hammer and provided Wlhh a lateral arm, a sear for one of the shotgun-locks provided-with a lateral -25 arm,.and a trigger formed of a pivoted'body' having a finger piece and provided with a channel in oneside, and a slidingsection mounted in the channel of the body and provided with a lip at its forward endand with 0 a thumb-piece, the lip and rearendof the said sliding section being adapted to be moved to bealternately engaged by the arms of the scars of the riflefand-shotbarrel locks, substantially as described.

CHARLES E. WHILDEN.

XVitn esses:

DUNCAN J BAKER,

GEO. S. LEGARE. 

